Apartment MB, located within a 1960s light brick apartment complex in Sidney, was named after clients Mary and Ben. It belonged to their grandmother, who survived World War II in Germany and later moved to Australia, where she purchased this unit as an investment property, which was rented without receiving maintenance for 35 years. The clients inherited it and wanted to turn it into their first home
MB apartment, an impressive transformation with minimal interventions
The renovation project for MB Apartment aspired to transform the existing logic of the space with a series of small surgical interventions reinventing the spatial experience but on a limited budget. The design intent was to sculpt and refine the space by giving clients solidity and a sense of protection
The two-bedroom apartment had the defect of a large south-facing kitchen with no connection to the main living area nor to the harbor view. It had no distribution logic, and the ceilings had structural elements related to the apartment above that confused the logic of the spaces
While the interventions are small, the impact of Bokey Grant Architects' design is largely transformative for this space of only 86m2. The new, more efficient distribution also allows for the addition of a space that is currently used as musical instrument storage but can be converted into a second bathroom. The architects designed an opening at the entrance that allows circulation of light and improves the sense of perception of the space, which appears larger
Bokey Grant Architects' design proposes a sliding wall behind the dining area so that the bedrooms and bathroom can be separated from the main spaces, providing additional quiet and tranquility as needed. The new partitioning of spaces follows the structure of the original ceiling giving the perception that it is higher, but also ensures that the transition between rooms becomes a conscious experience
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